Remember Me not as You Like
by Stranded With Plums
Summary: Wizard of OzWicked inspired. Dorothy needs a friend to show her the way home, while the Scarecrow fights to keep his past with a certain someone a secret...and Glinda, well she's got secrets too. ON HOLD.
1. Chapter 1

Remember Me not as You Like

I do not own the Wizard of Oz. I merely play with the characters.

Chapter One

_The fields were decorated with tens of thousands of red tear-dropped poppies all aligned within perfect rows. These rare creatures adorned the sunny countryside of Oz on this crystal clear morning and nothing else could quite compare to the beautiful image set before the two lovers. _

_The quivering female turned to her male companion with a certain giddiness and whispered lightly in his ear, "This truly is a wonderful gift. Thank you my love."_

_"Well, I remember not too long ago a certain female begging to see the poppies of the spring season. They only bloom once every ten years, which is what makes this so special for me...for us", the male partner explained with a glint in his eyes. _

_The female could only flick her eyes downward in a fit of shyness in response to her lover's flirtatious stare. It was at this moment that she slowly cast her eyes upwards so that her gaze could rest upon the ruby fields before her. She let herself float into a state of reflection...remembering, dreaming, thinking. _

_Some minutes later, she came out of her trance and purposefully turned her head towards her friend allowing their eyes to lock, albeit briefly. She remembered nothing else of the landscape flowing before her and the poppies' invading beauty soon relinquished their hold as she lowered her lips to the man beneath her. _

"Oh! Oh, my! Are you hurt?" Dorothy Gale cried out desperately.

"No...no, no, no, no. I don't think so. You just gave me a scare. Say aren't you the good witch who killed the bad witch?" Scarecrow inquired hesitantly.

"Oh, I, uh, guess I am. Word sure does travel fast around here," she calmly stated before adding softly "I am sorry. Forgive my manners. My name is Dorothy. Dorothy Gale. And you are?"

"Scarecrow. The one and only Scarecrow. So answer me this young lady, what exactly are you doing here. This path is quite dangerous and you shouldn't be traveling alone. What brings you here to these parts?" He said eyeing her warily.

"Well, let's see. First, my house got picked up by a twister and thrown down into a land I don't know the first thing about, but then I find out that in the process of crashing I somehow managed to kill somebody and I'm miles away from home. I'm probably wanted for murder...I don't know where I am...I...I...," Dorothy finally halted her speech breathlessly, but in doing so only caused her eyes to fill with unshed tears.

She was frustrated and confused. This man or scarecrow was her only hope of ever seeing home again. Her sobs subsided and in a fit of confidence she finally decided to face her troubles head on...she needed to know if she could ever get out of this disaster...this nightmare.

Turning back towards her newly found friend, she asked ruefully "Do you know the way to the Emerald City? To the Wizard of Oz? I must see him immediately. I have to get home and I was told by Glinda that he would know the way. Is this true?"

"Indeed it is my girl. The wizard knows all, but I must warn you that the road ahead is filled with many obstacles. You must be strong and you must be willing to face disaster at any cost. Will you promise to give everything you have and all you know for the sake of this journey? It is not for the weak you know," He chided absently.

"I promise to offer all that I have up front. I must get home and quickly," She stated with as much strength as she could muster.

"Well then, that's settled. I shall hold you to your word, but we have no time to waste. I will accompany you to the Emerald City my dear. Come now, time is wasting," the Scarecrow said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her down the path.

Dorothy could only allow her new friend to guide her through the perils that lay ahead, but at least she wouldn't be alone.

Elsewhere, alone and in the dark, a green hand stroked the rounded edges of an hourglass and as the silent owner sat upon her throne the bitterness of all her lies began to surface in the form of tears. She would have her revenge.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I do not own the Wizard of Oz. So lets carry on.

_"My Dear, you look just exquisite. Everyone is going to love you...especially your eyes, your face, your personality, everything. No need to worry, I'll be right beside you," the lanky gentleman said graciously to the beautiful woman standing in front of him. _

_She was truly nature's finest dressed to the nine's and here she was elegantly breathing before him, yet masked by statuesque qualities. She was soon to be his, an idea that created such a sensation within him that it became increasingly difficult not to advertise his deepest feelings to the world and all who would listen. _

_Turning her lightened face to his, she warily whispered "I wish for nothing more than for this to be over. I am terribly frightened and besides there will be thousands of eyes glaring at me. Can't we just...can't we just fall away quietly? Please," She begged, her breath ragged. _

_"It will be fine. We will be fine. Just hang on to me," Her lover asserted as a hand curled around her waist. _

_Pulling her towards him hurriedly, he used the remaining seconds that they had alone together kissing her soundly. He wanted to give her every bit of confidence that flowed through his bones. He wanted to transfer this heat...this radiating warmth that she gave to him every time she was with him back to her. He wanted her to feel what his heart had been feeling all along, but when he opened his eyes he saw only doubt. _

_It was this cloudy vision within the depths of her soul that now shown brightly on the surface and he knew that she was not ready, but time was fading and so were his chances of ever keeping her for himself._

"Hey, Scarecrow...what do you suppose Glinda meant about these shoes being the death of this world?" Dorothy asked suddenly, her words breaking the heartfelt silence that had been following them for hours.

He sighed slightly, while leaning his head forward so that his eyes would not have the faintest chance of meeting up with hers before answering.

"Those slippers that you have on there are quite special in regards to the power and rich with history. Glinda was there when they came into existence. She remembers well...just as I do," he lectured with the faintest hint of mournful betrayal dripping from his last words.

"Well, they sure are pretty, but what would an old green witch of a woman want with these beauties anyway? You should have seen her flail around the town square like a mad harpy...voice screeching, arms outstretched, and eyes blazing with hatred," Dorothy added innocently, yet she managed to lace every bit of it with a child's excitement. After all, she was only a girl of sixteen.

He could tell by the way her figure shrank with embarrassment under the weight of his stare in respect to her last statement that she meant no harm. She was just issuing her perspective on recent events and he would do well to remember her child-like mentality. It was not a flaw, it was natural

Gathering her fingers to her chest as one would hold a secret close to the heart, she managed to squeak out one last question.

"Glinda said that the ruby slippers belonged to the witch of the west. Do they...really...I mean belong to her? They are so lovely and she is, well, so ugly."

Scarecrow stopped abruptly and turned to face his companion one more time. He saw an expectant, yet inquisitive brown-eyed girl awaiting an answer and he could have sworn that a little flicker of life sparked deep within his cold heart.

"Not everything is as plain as the nose on your face young lady. Those slippers are quite beautiful and powerful...much like their maker," He stated without hesitation and with that said he simply resumed his walk along the yellow brick road.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I do not own Wicked or the Wizard of Oz. I simply use the characters for my own amusement.

_"It is a girl my friend. She is beautiful like her mother. She has eyes like orbs the color of the sky, her hair soft like feathers, and her skin as soft as silk," reported the silver-haired man. He had been invited to "keep" his wily friend company during the fitful hours of labor. _

_"May I see her and our daughter," the lanky man anxiously asked, fear within his eyes._

_"Of course, go...go," his friend urged with his hand on the male's back. He gently shoved the worrisome father into the room and shut the door. _

_There she was. His wife of three years had given birth just five minutes ago and she still had the knack of looking fresh and vibrant. Her hands were protectively wrapped around the child, but when she lifted her head her husband sensed that this surreal happiness was soon to be broken. _

_"She has to be sent elsewhere. She cannot stay with us and don't start to mourn because I warned you what danger this could bring to her and to us. She is different and I will not allow us to ignore that fact. There is someone who can take...," the new mother began to explain, but was crucially interrupted by her evidently angry husband._

_"...What! How dare you tell me that our daughter cannot stay with her very own parents. That is absurd and who is in danger here...you? Is that all you're thinking about right now...is you! I've had enough of your family causing you to make decisions based upon what they might do to us. I knew this wouldn't be easy, us being together, getting married, raising a family, but you have my family...and isn't that enough...aren't we(motions from his daughter to himself)enough?" the father demanded breathlessly. _

_By now his voice was cracking and his dream of living with the person he loved the most was shattering into a million little pieces before him. If she continued on with her line of thinking, those pieces would soon be lost without repair. He tried to slow his heaving chest, but his lungs refused to allow any air into them. Love was truly going to kill him. He had wasted years of preparing his heart for love, but not for disappointment or soul-crashing anger. He laughed when others heartily lectured him on the battle scars that they had accrued throughout the years, but now time had decided that he too would join the wounded. Reality waved its hand and the only sinking, sickening feeling that resonated within his veins could only be described as a lover losing his beloved. He could now tell a tale of heartbreak. Disgust was not an emotion he could call a friend...it more resembled that of a foreigner. _

_He ventured another glimpse at his wife, who at the moment was still possessively hugging her infant, and he saw not a woman blinded by cruelty, but a woman plagued by the past. Her face was stricken with sorrow and regret, but she had no other choice. She was a mother and mothers protect their children...to the death. _

_The friendly and generous face of his waiting room companion came charging down the hall, but his light steps soon became laden with dread at the sight of his friend's tear-stained face. He quietly and respectfully drew nearer and awaited a response. Alas, one did come, but the weight of the words spoken knocked the silver-haired young man speechless._

_"Where can I find Glinda?"_

"Keep up Dorothy. There are scary animals around here," Scarecrow ordered of his young charge followed by a humorous glint in his eyes.

"Oh yes. I'm sorry. I was just taking in the scenery. We don't have all of the vibrant colors found here back in Kansas. We just have dirt, mud, some more dirt, and basically some more mud. Our favorite color is brown I always say. It helps to bring some laughter to the table...otherwise you'd just go bonkers," the blue-dressed maiden said with soundness.

She was very wise for her age, but she had her moments. Her newly obtained ruby slippers clicked and clacked upon the mustard yellow bricks, the sound alone causing her to occasionally glance down upon the radiant glowing jewels. They had an odd appearance at times, she had to admit, especially when the sun's light hit them from a certain angle. It seemed as if they were from another world, another time and place, but there was also the age factor, which had her mind boggled. Her glances gave her insight, but the information she gained from these little trips was wasted on her at the moment. Sometimes she gazed upon the red slippers and was allowed to bask in the colors of the radiant sun above, while other times brought visions of darker, richer, and deeper colors attributed to age.

"What are you staring at Dorothy?" the Scarecrow asked emptily. His furrowed brow suggested that he felt otherwise and Dorothy knew better than to allow an opportunity of this caliber to fall by the wayside.

Cocking her petite head to the side, she lifted her eyes slightly and asked rather seriously, "The munchkins were rather taken by these slippers. They burrowed around them in a manner of reverence. It was as if they held a specific power known only to them. These aren't just the storybook-ridden, save the world, powerful slippers are they?"

The Scarecrow was quite taken aback by the sincerity of the question and had he not quickly recovered he would have fallen to the ground. Unfortunately, the answer would have to wait as a burly figure sprang from the bushes.

"Guess who?" the intruder joked as he pressed the palms of his muscular paws further down onto his victim's eyes.

The Scarecrow punched the tip of his elbow into his captor's stomach knowing that his release was inevitable. In the meantime, Dorothy was too busy being frightened into submission. Her eyes wide with terror and her mouth agape, she could only stand firmly in place, her legs stricken with shock.

"Look, will you knock it off. I know who you are Lion," Scarecrow retorted, an irritated scowl clouding his gentler favored features.

The Lion was about to throw an insult in response, but his eyes caught the outline of a girlish figure lurking in the background. She was small enough to be a child, but she carried herself like an adult. He was about to give his warm greetings when a red glare pulled his eyes downward towards her feet.

Raising his king-like head slowly, he let his next words ring with finality.

"So Scarecrow, it's been awhile. I see you have found the brighteners."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I do not own Wicked/Wizard of Oz. Now on to some serious issues.

(Prepare for War)

"_Prepare the army for invasion. I will not have court jesters prancing up and down the streets of Celestoria. You must be ready!" the tall slender female announced to her overly prostrated male servant. _

"_Yes, your majesty. It will be done and soon," he stated, once again over calculating his importance in regards to the situation. _

"_Well, it better be. I have a gnawing feeling that if we don't strike while she is out of commission then we won't stand a chance otherwise," the witch said as she shook her hands exasperatedly, fingers clenched as she continued "Her absence makes our succession even more probable...don't you understand? Yes, our victory tastes sweet on my lips and soon we will have those stars," the female commander babbled absently, her voice increasing in pitch as she uttered out her last words. _

_She scrunched up her face as dared herself to take one more distasteful glance at her inhuman excuse for a soldier and then pristinely turned back around towards the window. _

"_Oh,...and Belegrim, just one more request. Leave absolutely no survivors and you know I mean none. As for the stars, destroy them, but leave two. We don't want it to look as if I was actually in charge of this annihilation. I want it to resemble the works of a mad woman driven by her undeniable inner rage. Oh, how she could never rise above her own shortcomings! They'll believe that!" She swooned._

"_As you wish your highness," Belegrim granted one last time before disappearing behind the doors._

(Glinda's Castle)

"_Your majesty, an old friend is here to see you," alerted one of the inner chamber guards._

"_Yes. Send in whoever it is," Glinda answered as her hand motioned for the door. _

_The guard retreated to the confines of the outer rooms to only reemerge after a few seconds, visitors in tow. _

"_Oh my! What has happened to my very precious friend? You seem to be very weary and broken from inner turmoil. Tell me...what has happened?" Glinda cried out though her regalities never faltered. Even when faced with tragedy, she proved to all who knew her that she was a pro at containing highly destructible emotions. _

"_Listen Glinda, I need you to take my daughter. She will be safe with you and since you have previously spoken with my wife on this matter, then I...I will leave her here...with you," the mournful man stuttered out, but barely audible. _

_She took great notice of his worn clothes, messy hair, and hunched figure. He was a wreck, but her reverie was quickly interrupted by the sound of the a door opening. _

"_My lady, there is an attack upon Celestoria. Someone has taken forces and is currently destroying the whole city!" the munchkin explained with much excitement. _

_Not wanting her visitor to bolt, she recovered the previous ambience, saying "I'll take her," the words flowing so smoothly from her lips, her smile just as encouraging as she reached out to the shuddering arms of the father before her._

_He had to leave before he broke his word and that would be betrayal at its finest. He flew from the room, keeping his head down as he did so, heart shattered and arms empty._

_Glinda reveled in the idea of her new "child", but reality sank in as she studied the baby girl further. She was precious, as precious as a baby could be considering her oddities. The raven hair seemed to be Poe inspired, while her eyes mirrored the numerous blue shades found deep within the oceans to the skies. She was a beautiful child indeed, but not all were as perfect as Glinda herself._

"_Well lets see here. You are supposed to be in hiding aren't you, so we had better do something about that green skin."_

(At Home)

"_You did as I asked, didn't you?"_

"_As you can see I have come back with nothing in my arms so it would be awful kind of you not to assume otherwise."_

"_We must continue my love. We have to...it was for the best...for everyone."_

"_If you say so."_

The Lion skulked around Dorothy like a predator sizing up his prey. She obeyed his leveling stare, allowing him to memorize every inch of her. She couldn't help the beads of sweat that were now forming upon her forehead, she used to be the one asking the questions, but now she would be the one answering them. In one swift movement the Lion had circled the visibly shaken girl four to five times, but made no intention of speaking just yet. He continued his hunt, circling, making her painfully aware of his assessment each time he lowered his eyes from the tip of her head down to her sparkling, ruby-colored shoes.

He must have finally satisfied his curiosity because in mere seconds he went from a crouched stalking position to showing his tall, majestic, and menacing form. He obviously glared more than he spoke so this impression alone would attach the word "monster" to his name and his chiseled muscular chest with broad shoulders only added to the reputation. Feared by all, known by few. Very few, she was guessing.

She was going to take the plunge and just meet his gaze, eye to eye and hope that she didn't pass out from the choking fear she ventured to say that he invoked from all who met him. He, of course, showed no emotion. Nothing.

"Well, well, well...," Lion began as he paced, mouth opening to add more to his little tirade, but instead a sigh escaped his lips and he offered another moment of silence.

"Lion, is it," more of a statement than a question, but Dorothy continued, unfazed and unharmed "I'm Dorothy for your information and I have been traveling with your little friend here, no I don't know his real name, to the Wizard of Oz so I can get back home sometime within this next century. So you can cease with the childish looks and stares and whatever else you may have up your sleeve as a form of psychological torture and just get out of my way. You can come or you can stay, but either way find someone else to terrorize," She finished without shame and took to the road once more, minus two.

"I thought we agreed to keep the brighteners a secret. It is none of her business, whatsoever. We need...," Scarecrow scolded passionately, but was interrupted by Lion's paw clamping his mouth shut.

"That's where you're wrong my friend," He stated as he pointed his sharp-nailed finger towards Dorothy "She is wearing the shoes. This makes her a player in whatever scheme is being cooked up at the moment. We have to protect her."

"Listen Lion, stop being so paranoid and let's get on with this. The sooner she goes home, the sooner everything goes back to normal. Besides, Glinda told her that the Wizard could be of great help to her and her plight. It would be inconceivable to not grant this child her wish of returning home," Scarecrow decided to conclude his speech as he realized that Lion was no longer listening to the words that were being spoken.

Lion had contorted his features to a frown in every sense of the word. He had been snagged by something that the Scarecrow had said and never heard a word after that moment.

"You said that Glinda told her to go see the Wizard! We're not going to the Wizard. We've got to get her to shelter and quickly," the Lion snapped, running purposefully towards Dorothy, catching her by the arm, and dragging her back towards Scarecrow.

"What...what are you doing!" Dorothy yelped in surprise as she threw her body in different directions, her one futile attempt at freedom.

Turning his attention from Dorothy to Scarecrow, he alerted all to his plan.

"We're going to take the path that tracks through the forest and my hope is to be at Twinrova by tomorrow's dusk. Get moving," Lion commanded as he trudged towards the forest's entrance.

"What's in Twinrova!" Scarecrow yelled amidst the fact that he should be following his two friends.

"Merna," Lion stated soundly as he and Dorothy disappeared into the bushes.


End file.
